Tales Of Friendship

by Bluecatcinema


Tea Parties And Tours

One Sunday, in the student quarters of the School of Friendship, Ocellus and Smolder were enjoying one of their secret tea parties. Their first had been held not long after they and their friends had been tested by the Tree of Harmony (during which the two had bonded over their hidden insecurities) and it had become a regular practice between the two ever since. Whenever the others were occupied with homework or other matter, Ocellus and Smolder would put everything together and enjoy some one-on-one friendship time.

Today was one such day, with the others currently at Sugarcube Corner. Seeing an opportunity, Ocellus had claimed to have homework to do, and Smolder pretended that she had another fire-breathing contest with Spike scheduled. Once the others were gone, they put their true plans into action.

"More milk, Smolder?" Ocellus offered a small jug.

"Maybe a little more." Smolder nodded. "Thanks."

"No problem." Ocellus added a little milk to Smolder's cup.

"Heh." Smolder chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Ocellus frowned.

"I was just thinking." Smolder shrugged. "Not so long ago, I never would have imagined that I'd one day be having secret tea parties with a reformed Changeling. But now look at me."

"I know how you feel." Ocellus noted. "It wasn't too long ago that I was just another changeling drone in training, learning how to drain the love out of ponies. And here I am now, hunger-free, living at a School of Friendship, and hanging out with a close friend who happens to be a dragon."

"Yep." Smolder chuckled. "That's the world we live in now, I guess."

"Guess so." Ocellus nodded. "Can you please pass the sugar?"

"Comin' right up." Smolder passed over the bowl containing some sugar cubes.

"...I've been thinking." Ocellus declared as she added a cube to the drink.

"You're always thinking." Smolder snarked. "That's why you're the smart one out of our little group."

"I meant I've been thinking about something in particular." Ocellus chuckled.

"Well, don't keep me in suspense." Smolder urged. "What is it you've been thinking about 'in particular'?"

"These secret tea parties of ours are always fun." Ocellus declared.

"Yep." Smolder agreed.

"So maybe they'd be even more fun if we invited some of our other friends?" Ocellus suggested.

"Eh, I don't know..." Smolder said awkwardly. "I'm not really comfortable with broadcasting my liking for cute stuff just yet."

"I'm sure the others would be okay with it." Ocellus assured. "I mean, it's not like they'd make fun of you. Not even Gallus."

"Maybe not." Smolder mused, recalling how Gallus had seen her in her tea party dress during the Tree of Harmony's test, and had said nothing of it since. "But it's been kinda nice hanging out, just the two of us."

"Well, it's not like these tea parties have been the first time we've been hanging out one-on-one." Ocellus retorted. "Remember the Canterlot archives?"

"Oh, yeah..." Smolder noted.

Weeks ago...

Ocellus and Smolder were at Canterlot castle, following Princess Celestia through the lower levels, as she showed them display cases containing various ancient magical artefacts. After Discord had reset everything for the spell-venger hunt (and added a few surprises), their team had ended up finding the most artefacts, and won the prize of a private tour of the archives.

"Isn't this exciting?" Ocellus asked Smolder. "We get to see all of Equestria's most historic artefacts!"

"Yeah, lucky us." Smolder deadpanned.

"What's the matter?" Ocellus frowned. "Aren't you happy to be here? Where so much history is?"

"Dragons don't really do museums." Smolder shrugged. "We've got a few artefacts, but most of them get put to use most of the time, like the Bloodstone Sceptre. The Dragon Lord always keeps it close at claw. Unless it involves some nice, tasty, well-aged gems, dragons don't put old suff into storage. Museums just aren't our thing, I guess."

"If this isn't your 'thing', then why were you so eager to win the spell-venger hunt?" Ocellus asked. "You knew full well the prize was a tour of the archives, so why the drive to win?"

"Eh, mostly for the sake of competition." Smolder said matter-of-factly. "Dragons love to win, even if the prize isn't something we're all that interested in. It's more about coming out on top, to be honest. That's the real prize for us dragons."

"Oh." Ocellus said flatly, a little disheartened.

"I'm only really here because you're my friend." Smolder noted. "And because we won it together. ...Well, you figured out where everything was, so technically, you did most of the work..." She shrugged. "But that just gives me even more of a reason to endure this yawnfest."

"Ah. Thanks, I guess." Ocellus said awkwardly. "But you never know, you might see something you'll like." She brightened up.

"Yeah, I wouldn't hold my breath." Smolder said frankly.

"And here, we have the Cauldron of Clarity." Celestia announced, as they reached the next artefact, a cauldron with ancient mystical runes carved into its sides. "Once believed to be one of the nine enchanted items of Mage Meadowbrook. When water is added to it, anycreature who looks within the cauldron will see their true self reflected in the water."

"That's incredible!" Ocellus smiled, stepping forward to examine the cauldron further. "I wonder what I'd see if I looked into it?"

"I'm gonna say: a Changeling." Smolder deadpanned.

"Very funny." Ocellus frowned.

"I know what I'd see: a confident, tough dragon... Who happens to be bored out of her mind." Smolder declared.

"There's only one way to find out, I suppose." Ocellus noted.

"I'm afraid the artefacts are not intended for use by the public." Celestia stated. "They are to be kept within their display cases, so they may be preserved for future generations to admire and learn from."

"Another reason dragons don't have museums: we're so long-lived that future generations take a real long time to get there." Smolder whispered to Ocellus. "And some of the current generation might just end up outliving the artefacts."

"I guess I can see the logic in that." Ocellus said fairly.

"Let's move on, shall we?" Celestia suggested. As they reached the next display, she continued her narration. "Here we have a particularly impressive display: the mystic gemstones of the great Unicorn sorceress Galaxy."

"Whoa..." Smolder stared at the display. Inside was a set of gems, in every colour of the rainbow, each embedded within golden amulets. The gems seemed to be calling to her, setting her appetite ablaze. "Impressive is right."

"Looks like there's something about museums that interest you after all." Ocellus grinned.

"Something tasty..." Smolder continued gazing at the gems.

"Galaxy was initially a skilled jeweller who lived right here in Canterlot" Celestia announced. "One day, while trying to create something truly unique, she imbued one of the gemstones she was working on with a large amount of her own her magic, in hopes of making it perpetually sparkle and glow. And it appeared she had succeeded. The next day, while on the way to deliver the necklace she had placed the gemstone within to market, Galaxy was ambushed by a pack of Diamond Dogs. In the midst of defending herself, she put the necklace around her neck, to make it harder for the Diamond Dogs to take it. In doing so, she found that the gemstone amplified her spells greatly: a simple shield spell resulted in a force that sent her attackers flying, and a single beam of magic from her horn tore a great trench into the ground. Needless to say, the Diamond Dogs quickly lost interest in her."

"That's amazing." Ocellus gasped with wonder.

"Over the next few months, Galaxy began experimenting, exposing gemstones to different kinds of spells and magic." Celestia continued. "It soon became clear that she had discovered her true talent. And from then on, she made use of that talent in defending the innocent, and expanding the ways of magic."

"Not bad... As ponies go." Smolder declared, still hungrily eyeing the gems.

"Galaxy's research helped teach us how gems can absorb certain kinds of magic becoming useful tools, helpful wards, even powerful weapons." Celestia smiled.

"Don't suppose that research included how the gems tasted afterward?" Smolder inquired.

"I don't believe so." Celestia replied.

"I could give some of those a taste-test." Smolder offered. "Then we'd know for sure. Anything to advance the magic research of magic, right?"

"Tempting." Celestia stifled a chuckle. "But I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline."

"Oh, well." Smolder sighed. "Worth a shot."

"Let's move on to the next artefact, shall we?" Celestia urged.

The Princess of the Sun led the two young creatures further into the archives.

"What was that you were saying about this being a 'yawn-fest'?" Ocellus teased Smolder. "You were definitely interested in those gemstones. I thought I was going to have hold you back from pouncing on them!"

"Hardey-har-har." Smolder scowled. "We have been here for a while, you know. Can't blame me for getting a little hungry, especially when gourmet gem cuisine is right in front of me..."

"I'm just glad you've found something here that caught your interest." Ocellus said frankly.

"One thing, sure." Smolder said dismissively. "It's not like anything else here can do the same.

"Wanna get?" Ocellus smirked, seeing the next artefact ahead of them.

"And here we have the Rainbow of Light." Celestia announced.

"Oh, you gotta be kiddin' me..." Smolder groaned.

The next artefact was a rainbow-shaped crystal hanging from a necklace.

"One of the more mysterious artefacts in the archives, the Rainbow of Light possesses powerful light-based magic." Celestia declared. "It was discovered within the ruins of an ancient castle by the Unicorn sage Majesty, who used it to defeat the dreaded Erebus."

"It's beautiful." Ocellus sighed, adoring the way the crystalline rainbow glittered in the chamber's light.

"And I thought those Galaxy gemstones looked tasty." Smolder stared. "You think if I ate something like that, I'd get the power for myself?"

"That is... Difficult to say." Celestia admitted. "Artefacts like these are imbued with magical power for a reason: because most ponies cannot contain such power within themselves. Dragons may find such power... hard to stomach."

"On second thought, maybe I shouldn't try something like that." Smolder shrugged. "Hate to end up with a serious case of magic indigestion..."

"It would be an interesting experiment, though." Ocellus pointed out.

"Indeed it would." Celestia chuckled. "Now, moving on..."

Celestia continued leaded the two further into the archives.

"Okay, so that's two artefacts that you didn't find so boring." Ocellus told Smolder.

"Yeah." Smolder admitted. "Think we'll get up to three?"

"There's only one way to find out." Smolder smiled.

The two young students continued with the tour, Smolder having a newly-formed interest in the remaining artefacts. The following exhibits didn't all contain gems, but some of them managed to maintain her interest anyway, such as a suit of armour that could withstand almost anything, from magic to dragonfire to the sharpest Rok claws.

'When it comes to making fancy accessories, these ponies really know their stuff.' She thought at the end of the day, as she and Ocellus returned to the school. 'Guess this day wasn't such a waste after all...'

The present...

"So it didn't turn out to be quite the yawnfest I was expecting." Smolder admitted.

"I could tell." Ocellus smirked. "Especially when gemstones entered the equation..."

"What can I say?" Smolder shrugged. "I know what I like."

"Me too." Ocellus nodded. "And it was nice to share the experience with a good friend."

"Can't argue with that logic." Smolder smiled.

"We'd better start clearing up." Smolder stated. "The others'll probably be back soon."

"And we wouldn't want them to discover our little secret, would we?" Ocellus smirked.

"Not today, at least..." Smolder shrugged.

Seconds after they finished cleaning up, Ocellus and Smolder were greeted by the return of their friends.

"Hey, guys." Sandbar smiled.

"Hey." Smolder returned the greeting.

"How was Sugarcube Corner?" Ocellus asked.

"In a word: delicious!" Silverstream grinned.

"How was your fire-breathing contest?" Gallus asked Smolder.

"Spike put up a pretty good fight, but he was no match for the master." Smolder smirked.

"Yona glad friends had fun too!" Yona smiled. "Would not have been fair if we had fun, and you didn't."

"Well, we did." Ocellus confirmed.

"But we'd still be up for a little more fun." Smolder added.

"Me too!" Silverstream beamed.

"That's be great, but we've still got homework to do." Gallus grumbled.

"Homework can be fun, too." Ocellus smiled. "I still have a little homework left to take care of myself, so we can all work together."

"I had a feeling you'd say that." Gallus rolled his eyes.

"Look at it this way: if we finish our homework now, we'll have time for a little more fun before bed." Sandbar reasoned.

"That make sense to Yona." Yona nodded brightly.

"Count me in." Silverstream raised a claw.

"Eh, why not?" Smolder shrugged.

The group looked at Gallus expectedly.

"Okay, I'm in too." He sighed. "No way I'm tackling all that work by myself..."

As the six filed out, Ocellus and Smolder brought up the rear.

"Didn't you pretend you were planning on doing your homework while the others were gone?" Smolder asked.

"Actually, I kind of did." Ocellus confessed. "Just before we had the tea party. I thought it would be best if I did a little homework first."

"Of course you did." Smolder rolled her eyes.

"Still on the fence about inviting the others to our next few party?" Ocellus asked. "I'm sure Silverstream and Yona wouldn't say 'no'. Sandbar might be into it, and you never know, Gallus might surprise us."

"I'll think about it." Smolder smiled. "But with all six of us, it might get a little crowded. We'd need a bigger table, that's for sure..."

"We can cross that when we come to it." Ocellus declared. "But thanks for at least considering it."

"No problem." Smolder nodded. "That's what friends do, right?"

"What's keeping you slowpokes?" Silverstream called. "You're falling behind!"

"Coming!" Ocellus replied.

The two soon caught up with the rest of their friends. As fun as it was hanging out in their secret gatherings, it was always more fun when all six of them were together.